Diffuser devices and means for adjustably supporting the same



G. W. MEE K DIFFUSER DEVICES AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING THE SAME Filed June 6, 1952 I nllll INVENTOR GEORGE W. MEEK Ticr.

WQ ATTORNEY Sept, E8, 1956 we 0 0L.

United States Patent DIFFUSER DEVICES AND MEANS FOR ADJUST- ABLY SUPPORTING THE SAME George W. Meek, Pelham, N. Y., assignol' to Airkem,

Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York I Application June 6, 1952, Serial No. 292,141

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-8) This invention relates to diffuser devices of the type employed for introducing volatilizable material into air. More particularly, the invention relates to diffuser devices of the class described adapted for use with volatilizable material in substantially solidified or solid form. Still more particularly, the invention relates to diffuser devices of the class described having means for adjustably supporting the same in controlling the extent or rate of evaporation of said volatiliza-ble material.

The introduction of vapors into air to counteract odors, freshen the air, or create other desired effects can be carried out using a liquid volatilizable material or volatilizable material in substantially solidified or solid form. In instances where control of the rate of volatilization has been desired, it has been customary in the past to employ liquid compositions since the volatilization rate of liquid compositions can readily be controlled by wick devices. There are, however, inherent disadvantages in the use of liquid compositions and wick devices. For example, there is the constant danger of spillage of the liquid composition. In addition, the wick devices frequently tend to become unsightly during their use. While these disadvantages could be overcome by employing a substantially solidified or solid volatilizable material, it has been difficult in the past to control evaporation from such solidified or solid materials in a prac tical way.

One object of my invention is to provide a diffuser device comprising a diffuser unit for the reception of essentially solidified or solid volatilizable material, said diffuser unit having vapor penetrable means throughout the vertical surfaces thereof and a readily re-form-able member secured to said diffuser unit and adapted for retaining the diffuser unit in different positions of adjustment with respect to suitable supports. A further object of my invention is to provide a diffuser device having a diffuser unit and container part adapted for close telescopic engagement wherein the re-formable supporting means cooperates with the upper edge of the container part in supporting the diffuser unit in different positions of telescopic extension from said container part. A still further object of my invention is to provide a re-formable supporting means on diffuser units of the character described which can selectively engage suitable supports at points above the upper surface and below the upper surface of said diffuser unit.

These and other objects of my invention will be fully apparent from a consideration of the following descrip tion together with the accompanying drawing in which certain adaptations of my invention are illustrated, and in which various parts of the device are identified by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a diffuser device in accordance with my invention in the extended or operative position and including a dotted line showing to illustrate an alternative manner of utilizing the device.

2,763,394 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 Fig. 2 is a partial sectional View of the device as shown in Fig. l with the parts in the closed or inoperative position and with a closure cap affixed thereto.

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view of the lower portion of the diffuser device as shown in Fig. 1 indicating the detailed construction of the base of the diffuser unit; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification.

In Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, I have shown a diffuser device comprising a diffuser unit 10 telescopically arranged within a container 11 having a beaded upper edge 12 adapted to be closed by a suitable closure cap 13. For purpose of illustration, the cap 13 has been shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing as having an annular resilient gasket 14 to effect a seal in engaging the beaded edge 12 of the container. It will be understood, however, that any suitable cap or closure means can be employed, as for example, a screw cap or a cap engaging the container part by the so-called bayonet type action. While the container and diffuser unit as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing have been indicated as having a substantially cylindrical contour, it should be understood that the cross-sectional contour can be varied if desired. The container and diffuser unit, however, should have corresponding cross-sectional contours, and the side walls thereof should be substantially parallel so that a close fitting telescopic arrangement of the parts is provided.

The container can be fashioned from any suitable material such as glass, plastic or metal; likewise the diffuser unit 10 can be fashioned from various materials such as specially treated paper or cardboard, treated fabric or plastic material, or even metal if desired. The diffuser unit comprises a side wall part 15, a top wall 16 and bottom wall 17. While in the drawing, the side wall 15 and the bottom wall 17 have been shown as separate parts it will be apparent that in certain instances, as for example, when the parts are molded from plastic material it may be desirable to mold the side wall 15 and bottom wall 17 as a unitary body.

The side wall 15 is provided with vapor penetrable means as indicated, for example, by the apertures 18 arranged throughout the surface thereof so that vapors arising from the volatilizable material within the diffuser unit 10 may readily pass to the surrounding air. For purpose of illustration, I have indicated within the diffuser uni-t 10 a substantially cylindrical body 19 of volatilizable material in gel form. It will be understood however, that the diffuser unit may be filled with any substantially solidified or solid volatilizable material, including, for example, a porous carrier such as pumice in which is absorbed a volatilizable composition.

The spacing and arrangement of apertures 18 in the side wall 15 may be varied depending upon the characteristics of the particular volatil-izable material contained within the unit, and if desired, the side walls 15 may be formed of an open-work screen or mesh having a very large number of small openings therein. The important factor in this connection is that the side Wall 15 be sufficiently porous or open to permit free passage of vapors and air therethrough.

The manner of fashioning and assembling the various parts of the diffuser unit 10 can be varied to a considerable extent depending upon the particular materials employed. Secured to the diffuser unit 10 in a manner to overlie the side wall 15 thereof along one vertical portion of the side wall and to protrude above the upper edge, I employ a strip of re-formable material 20 which provides the suspending or supporting means for the diffuser unit. As indicated in Fig. l of the drawing, the re-formable strip 20 may be folded over the upper edge 12 of the container in supporting the diffuser unit in ice different positions of vertical adjustment. On the other hand, the strip 20 may be passed through an aperture 21 adjacent the upper edge of .the side wall to provide a protruding tab 22 shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 for mounting the diffuser unit apart from the container onany suitable hook or other support. As indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the re-formable strip is passed through the aperture 21 and collapsed upon the top Wall 16 of the diffuser unit when the diffuser unit is arranged in inoperative position within the container 11. Various materials can be employed for the re-formable strip 211 such, for example, as aluminum, brass, stainless steel or the like. It is important however that the strip 211 be of a non-resilient character.

In other words, when the strip is folded in the manner indicated in Fig. 1 over the edge 12 of the container in different positions of adjustment of the diffuser unit the folded position of the strip should be relatively permanent and permit the folded portion to closely engage the sides of the container 11 below the upper edge thereof.

At the same time, the strip should not assume any appreciable permanent deformations or creases so that it may readily be reformed to be used in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 or collapsed in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 2.

For purpose of illustration, I have shown in the draw ing, side walls 15 fashioned from a unitary sheet of material having overlapped edges, and secured together by suitable means such as cementing or by using a plurality of staples 24. The use of staples lends itself to a practical manner of attaching the re-forrnable strip 20 as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. In this construction the strip 20 is secured to the side wall 15 by means of the staple 24 and is then passed across the bottom of the diffuser unit and the opposite side thereof, as is clearly apparent from the drawing. 1 preferably provide in the lower edge of the side wall 15, notches which act to position the strip 20 with respect to the bottom of the diffuser unit. It will also be apparent that the strip 20 provides a means for supporting the bottom wall 17 of the diffuser unit in position, and the notches are advantageous in this connection in permitting the bottom wall 17 to be supported slightly above the lower edge of the diffuser unit. The construction as above described is particularly advantageous from the standpoint of its simplicity and further, since it avoids the necessity for cementing or otherwise securing the bottom wall 17 in position. It will be understood, however, that any suitable means may be employed for securing together the bottom wall 17 and the side walls 15 of the diffuser unit in various modifications of the device.

In Fig. 4 of the drawing, I have shown a somewhat modified form of construction wherein a diffuser unit 11) and container 11 are employed which are generally similar to the diffuser unit 10 and container 11 shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The diffuser unit is provided with vapor penetrable means as indicated, for example, by the apertures 18 therein. The construction as shown in Fig. 4 differs from that previously described, particularly in the type of re-formable strip or supporting means 20 employed.

As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the re-formable strip or supporting means 20 is provided with a plurality of transversely arranged fingers 26 which are adapted to be bent outwardly as seen at 27 for engagement with the upper edge 12' of the container in providing a support for the diffuser unit in different positions of vertical adjustment. As previously mentioned in connection with the strip 20, the strip 20' should be of an essentially nonresilient character so that the fingers 26 will remain in the particular position desired, i. e., either the outwardly extended position as indicated at 27, or in-the flat position as indicated for the other fingers at 26. It will be understood in this connection that the primary purpose of the fingers 26 is to permit the selective adjustment of the height of the diffuser unit above the container to vary the degrees or extent of volatilization of material therefrom.

While the strip 20 has been indicated as passing through an aperture 21, to permit the end of the strip to be collapsed onto the top Wall 16' of the diffuser unit or to be extended into the dot and ash line position 22' for mounting the diffuser unit in connection with a suitable support, it will be noted that the use of an aperture 21 is not essential with the construction as shown in Fig. 4. Thus, for example, the strip 20 could be secured directly to the side wall 15' of the diffuser unit and merely folded over the edge thereof to provide the collapsed position for storage within the container 11. A further advantage of the construction shown in Fig. 4 is that it permits a use of the container 11' and diffuser unit 10 together when the device is suspended from a suitable support by means of the strip 20 in the dot and dash line position as indicated at 22. Thus, for example, a plurality of the fingers 26 may be bent outwardly to an extent sufiicient to provide frictional engagement with the inner surface of the container 11 so that in the suspended position the container will be retained against displacement from the diffuser unit. In this way, the desired control of the rate of evaporation of volatilizable material can be controlled when the diffuser unit is suspended from a support as well as when it is supported by the container 11 on some suitable horizontal surface.

Various changes and modifications in the construction herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the art, and to the extent that such changes and modifications fall within the purview of the appended claim, it is to be understood that they constitute part of my invention.

Iclaim:

A device for adjustably supporting telescoping container parts in different positions of relative extension, said device comprising an elongated member fixedly secured to the inner of said telescoping parts and normally disposed between telescopically engaged surfaces of said parts, said member being fashioned of re-formable metal and having a suspending portion protruding upwardly beyond the top of said inner part and adapted to be inoperatively disposed along the top of said inner part, and one side edge of said member having a plurality of closely spaced slits forming therebetween transverse fingers adapted to be bent outwardly of said member to provide stop means positioning said inner part with respect to said outer part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,071,679 Silvertrust Aug. 26, 1913 1,206,124 Meyers Nov. 28, 1916 1,380,208 Holtschneider May 31, 1921 1,680,539 Hodi Aug. 14, 1928 1,823,055 Mogill Sept. 15, 1931 1,950,265 Peterson Mar. 6, 1934 2,010,118 Tarboy Aug. 6, 1935 2,346,407 Wright Apr. 11, 1944 2,540,758 Rinnman Feb. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,756 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1923 

